Mechanical baseball game



1927' J. BAMBER ET AL MECHANICAL BASEBALL GAME Filed April 15, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 qfose vir Bamber J. ,I Mandel] anwmtou Gum/"ago.

Feb. 15 192 7 J. BAMBER ET AL MECHANICAL BASEBALL GAME 1 u yum M Z w M N m5 \5 a K 5M 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15. 1925 J. BAMBER ET AL MECHANICAL BASEBALL GAME- Feb. 159

Filed April 15. 1925 Elam/M1 0.

Patented. Feb. 1a; 1927.

JOSEPH BAMBER AND JAMES IRVING MUNDELL, OF GROTON, CONNECTICUT.

MECHANICAL BASEBALL .GAM E.

Application filed April 15, 1926. Serial No. 102,233.

This invention aims to provide a mechanical means whereby the playing of a'base ball game may be carried out in part; the construction and arrangement being such that the element of skill will be combined with the element of.chance in the playing of the game. I

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings I,

Figure 1 shows in top plan, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being broken away;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, parts being in section;

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the mounting for the batter;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2;

F igure'5 is a section on the line'55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a. sectional detail illustrating the pitcher in the act of picking up a ball;

. Figure 7 is a sectional view illustrating the parts as they will appear whilst the ball is being ejected from the pitchers hand;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 88 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a section taken on the line 10-10 of Figure 6; I

Figure 11 is a sectional elevation showing certain of the mechanisms which enter into that operation which results when the batter passes about the bases. v

The device includes a frame 1 indicated in Figures 6 and 7. The frame 1 is supported on posts 2 and 3, the "post 2 being located at' home base. and the posts 3 being located at first and third bases, and being located opposite to each other, as Fig. 1 will show.

Above the frame 1 is located a platform 5.

The platform 5 may be connected to the frame 1 in any suitable way, for instance by a block 6, shown in FiguresG-and 7, and located about at the center of the diamond. A slot 7 is formed in the platform 5, and the general shape of the slot 7 is that of a base ball diamond, as Figure 1 will disclose. Below the platform 5 is located a track 8 shown in Figures 3 and 1. The track 8 conforms to the shape of the diamond and is supported on the frame 1. Pu1leys 9 are journaled for rotation on the posts 2 and 3, and there is a pulleyS) on a shaft 4 which is located at that part of the diamond which represents the second sack. A belt 10 is passed about the pulleys 99 and is supported thereby, as shown in Figure 3. The belt has a projection 11 (Figures 11 and 2), the function of which will be made manifest hereinafter.

projecting arm :14 which rides on the track 8. This construction takes some of the weight off ,the belt 10 and aids in carrying the bearing-12, when the batter 19 (hereinafter described) moves in anorbit around the diamond represented b the .slot 7. A shaft 15 is mounted to roc in the bearing 12 and is provided with a foot plate 16, the

foot plate being secured to the shaft. The foot plate 16 moves in the slot'7 and overhangs the platform 5 a little, as shown in Figure 3, for instance. In the edge of the foot plate 16 thereis a notch 17, into which extends a stop 18 projecting from the platform 5. The notch'17 may be of any desired length, depending upon the stroke which it is desired that the batter 19 shall make when he strikes at the pitched ball, the batter 19 being mounted on the foot plate 16. Aidisk 20 is secured to the lower end of the shaft 15 and carries a finger 21, which; in substance, is a lateral projection or eccentric on the shaft 15. About the lower portion of the shaft 15 is disposed a torsion spring 22, one end of which is secured to the disk 20, the other end,0f which is secured to the bearing 12. The finger 21 is adapted to be engaged by a radius arm 23, the lower end of which is pivoted at 24 to a bracket 25 mounted .on the post 2. The bracket 25 is adjustably secured to the post 2, as shown at 26. A lever 27 operates in a slot ,28 in Figure 3 shows that a vertical tubular-- bear ng 12 is secured to the belt 10, the

.bearmg 12 belng supplied with an inwardly stated briefly at this place that the batter 19' is rotated to strike at a pitched ball through the instrumentality of the hand lever 27, and after the batter 19 has struck at the pitched ball, the batter is carried around the diamond defined by the slot 7, since the batter is indirectly attached to the belt 10.

The device comprises a pitcher 32 which is shown to best advantage in Figures 6, 7

and 8. The pitcher 32 comprises an upper tube 33 and a lower tube 34 which are joined by a hinge 35, to the end that the pitcher may stoop over and pick up a ball 37 out of a trough-like ball holder 38 on the platform 5. .For a reason which will be explained hereinafter, the pitcher 32 has a slight movement, at times, about a vertical axis, and, to the end that the aforesaid movement may occur, the tube 34 has a rotary movement in the block 6. A foot disk 36 is connected to the tube 34 and rests on the block 6. At its lower end, the tube 34 carries a cup-shaped,

part 39 provided with a projection 40. A torsion spring 41 is disposed within the cupshaped part 39, one end of the spring 41 being anchored to the block 6, and the other end of the spring being connected to the part 34 or to the part 39, so that the spring 41 will be put under torsion when the tube 34 is rotated. There is an off-set bracket 42 on the upper tube 33, near to the hinge 35, the upper end of an operating rod 43 being pivoted at 44 to the bracket. The rod '43 is slidably mounted in the bottom of the tube 34. An arm 45 is adjustably secured by a set screw 46, or otherwise, to the lower end of the rod 43. A compression spring 47 surrounds a portion of the rod 43, one end of the compression spring abutting against the arm 45, and the other end of the compression spring abutting against the bottom of the tube 34. It is clear that when the rod 43 is raised, the pitcher will double over from the position shown in Fi ure 7 to the position shown in Figure 6, t e spring 47 constituting a means for bringing the pitcher back into the upright position delineated in Figure 7. A coupling 48 is mounted on the upper end of the tube 33 and carries a forwardly extended tubular arm 49. The coupling 48 carries. also, a tubular arm 50. The arm 50 is added merely for the sake of symmetry, to the end that the pitcher 32 may approximate the human form in appearance. So far as the operation of the device is concerned, the arm 49. only, is important. The arm 49 carries an abutment 51 which retains.

in the end of the arm 49, a tubular guide 52 which may be considered as a part of the arm 49. The guide 52 is supplied at its end with spring fingers 53, in which the ball 37 is engaged when the pitcher 32 stoops from the position of Figure 7 to the osition of Figure 6. The ball 37 is ejecte out of the fingers 53 and is advanced toward the batter 19, by means of a plunger 54 which is slidable in the guide 52, the plunger 54 being advancedby a compression spring 55, one end of the compression spring engaging the plunger 54, and the other end of the spring engaging the abutment 51. There is a bracket 56 on the block 6, as Figure 7 will show. of a flexible tubular guide 57, the upper end of the guide 57 being mounted in the abutment 51, theguide extending into the lower portion of the tube 34, upwardly throu h the tube 33, and along the arm 49, within-the same. A flexible element 58 slides in the guide 57, one end of the flexible element being connected to the plunger 54, and the other end of the flexible element being connected to a yoke 59 which is pivoted at 60 to a lever 61 which is fulcrumed at 62 on a carrier 63 held for vertical adjustment by a set screw 64 on a hanger 65 held adjustably on the frame 1 by a clamp 66. An anti-friction roller 67 is supported for rotation on the lever 61 near to the free end of the lever.

Bearings 68 are mounted on the posts 3, and in one of the bearings a shaft 69 is journaled. A shaft 70 is journaled in the other bearing 68, as shown in Figure 10. A clutch 72 is splined' at 173 to the shaft 70, to rotate therewith and to slide therealong. The clutch 72 includes a pulley 73 connected in the usual way to a shift-lever 74 fulcrumed intermediate its ends, as at 75, on a hanger 76 which is carried by the platform 5. In Fig. 1 the lever 74 has been tilted out of a vertical position, so that it shows, notwithstanding the fact that Fig. 1 is a top plan. A belt 77 is engaged with the pulley 73 and is driven from a counter-shaft 78 supported for rotation on a frame 79 (Figure 2). The frame 79 carries a motor 80, rotation being imparted to the shaft 78 from the motor 80, by means of a belt 81.

A clutch member 82 (Figure 10) is secured at 83 to the shaft 69 and is adapted to coo crate with the clutch member 72 of the sha t 70. A cam 84 is formed integrally with the clutch member 82 or is connected otherwise with the shaft 69 to rotate therewith. The cam 84 is adapted to cooperate with the roller 67 which is journaled on the free end of the lever 61. On the hub of the cam 84 there is an arm 85 which constitutes, in substance. a radial projection on the shaft 69, the arm 85 being adapted to cooperate with, the projection 40 on the part 39 of the rotatable lower tube 34. A cam 86 is se- In the bracket 56 is mounted one end cured at 87 to the shaft 69 and coacts with the arm that is secured to the lower end of the operatin rod 43.

The ball 3 havin been knocked off into the out-field, asses lownwardly through a funnel 88 on tie platform 5, if the ball appens to roll into the'funnel. The ball is received in a run-way 89 and carried back to a point near the batter 19, as shown in Figure 2, from which place, the ball may be picked up and deposited in the ball holder 38 on the platform 5; but before the ball reaches the run-way 89, as the ball drops downwardly out of the funnel 88, the ball hits a plate 90 on the end of a bell crank lever 91 which is fulcrumed at 92 on a support 93. The short arm of the bell crank lever 91 is pivoted at 94 to a latch 95 which is slidable m a guide 96 forming part of a bearing 97 wherein the shaft 4 is journaled. A retractile spring 98 is connected to the short arm of the bell crank lever 91 and to the bearing 97, and tends to advance the latch 95. The function of the latch 95 is to engage and hold down a clutch member 99 that rotates on the shaft 4, under the action of a belt 100 which is driven from the counter-shaft 78. The clutch member 99, when it is raised, coacts with a clutch memher 101 which is secured at 102 to the shaft 4 The clutch member 99 is raised into engagement with the clutch member 101, (thereby to rotate the shaft 4), through the instrumentality of a tiltable member 103, mounted at 104. to swing on a support105, a retractile spring 106 being anchored at its lower end. as in Figure 11, and being con- I nected at its upper end to the tiltable member 103. The member 103 has an angularly disposed extension 107 which lies in the path of the projection 11 on the belt 10.

In practical operation, the motor 80 moves the belt 81, rotation being imparted to the counter-shaft 78, the belt 77 rotating the pulley 73, and rotation being imparted from the clutch member 72 to the clutch member 82, the cam 86 being rotated and raising the arm 45 and the rod 43, the bracket 42 transmitting the motion to the upper tube 33 of the pitcher 82, and causing the pitcher to stoop, as in Figure 6, until the resilient fingers 53 engage with one of the balls 37 in the holder 38. Here it may be stated that there are enough balls in the holder so that the rear end of the holder is well filled with balls. There is, therefore, always a ball at hand for the pitcher to pick up, even though the holder is of considerable width. hen the cam 86 clears the arm 45, the spring 47 'arries the rod 43 downwardly, the pitcher 32assuming the elect posture delineated in Figure 7.

lVhen the shaft 69 is rotated, along with the cam 86, the cam 84 is rotated also, the

roller 67 passing suddenly into the depression of the cam 84, the lever 61 swinging on its fulcrum 62 under the action of the spring which exerts a pull on the flexible element 58, the flexible element 58 being connected to the lever 61 at 59. The flexible element slides in the guide 67 and the spring 55 advances the plunger 54 suddenly, as the roller 67 on the lever 61 rides into the depression of the cam 84, the plunger 54 shooting the ball 37 out of the fingers 53, as indicated in Figure 7, the ball moving toward the batter 19.

Before the ball 37 is pitched, the arm 85 comes into contact with the pro ection 40 on the part 39 of the pitcher 32, and the pitcher is rotated a little, under torsion, and serving to return the pitcher to its original position, after the arm the spring 41 being put 1 has cleared the projection 40. This ro-- tation of the pitcher 32, through a small arc, preliminary to the pitching of the ball 37, adds to the life-like appearance of the operation.

By means of the lever 27, the link 31, and the radius arm 23, rotation may be imparted in one direction to the shaft 15 which carries the batter 19, rotation being imparted in an opposite direction, "by the action of the torsion spring 22, the batter thus being caused to hit at the pitched ball, the radius arm 23 operating to impart rotation to the shaft 15, and to the batter 19, by way of the finger 21 on the disk 20.

Assuming that the batter 19 hits the pitched ball, and that the ball rolls downwardly through the funnel 88 upon the plate 90 of the bell crank lever 91, the bell crank lever is tilted on its fulcrum 92, and the latch is withdrawn out of engagement with the clutch 99, against the action of the spring 98, the part103, under the impulse of the spring 106, raising the clutch member 99 until it is in-engagement with the clutch member 101 that is secured to the shaft 4. The clutch member 99 is rotated from the counter-shaft 78 by the belt and, thus, rotation is imparted to the clutch member 101, to the shaft 4, and to the pulley 9 on the said shaft, the belt 10 being adsion 107 of the tiltable member 103, and

swings the saidmember downwardly, the clutch member 99 moving downwardly, out of engagement with the clutch member 101, the clutch member 99 "being engaged again by the latch 95 which is advanced by the spring98'. When the clutch member99 is disengaged from the clutch member 101, the

rotation of the shaft 4 ceases, and the batter 19 stops again at the home pan.

It is of course undesirable that the pitcher 32 should continue without ceasing to pick up the balls 37, and throw them, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. The stopping of the operation of the pitcher is a matter that can be left to the .sound discretion of persons playing the game, but when it is desired to stop the pitcher, this can be done by manipulating the lever 7 4, thereby disengaging the clutch member 72 from the clutch member 82, so that the clutch member 82, the cams 84 and 86, and the shaft 69, no longer derive rotation from the train of elements including the pulley 73, the belt 77, the counter-shaft 7b,

, the belt 81, and the motor80.

I folded, means for recting a batted ball upon said What is claimed is 1. In a mechanical base ball game, a foldable pitcher having a ball grip, means for folding and erecting the pitcher to cause the grip to pickup a ball when the pitcher is projecting the ball from the grip after the pitcher has been erected, a batter, means for moving the batter to cause it to strike at a projected ball, means for moving the batter in an orbit around the pitcher, and means for stopping the orbital movement of the batter when the batter arrives at home plate.

2. In a mechanical base ball game, a pitcher having a ball grip, means for projecting a ball from the ball grip, a batter, means for moving the batter to cause it to strike a projected ball, means for moving the batter in an orbit around the pitcher, and means for stopping the orbital movement of the batter when the batter arrives at home plate.

3. In a mechanical base ball game, a foldable pitcher having a ball grip. a ball, means for folding and erecting the pitcher to cause the grip to pick up the ball when the pitcher is folded, means for projecting the ball from the grip after the pitcher has been erected, a batter, means for moving the batter to cause it to strike a projected ball, means for moving the batter in an orbit around the pitcher, means for stopping the orbital movement of the batter when the batter arrives at home plate, and mechanism for dimeansthereby to actuate said means.

4. In a mechanical base ball game, a pitcher having a ball grip, a ball, means for projecting the ball from the ball grip, a batter, means for moving the batter to cause it to strike at a projected ball, means for moving the batter in an orbit around the pitcher, means for stopping the orbital movement of thebatter when the batter arrives at home plate, and means for directing a batted ball upon said means thereby to actuate said means.

5. In a mechanical base ball game, a foldable pitcher having a ball grip, means for folding and erecting the pitcher to cause the grip to pick up a ball, when the pitcher is folded, means for projecting the ball from the grip after the pitcher has been erected, means for rotating the pitcher throughout a limited are about a vertical axis, before the ball has been projected, a batter. means for moving the batter to cause it to strike at a projected ball, and means for moving the batter in an orbit around the pitcher.

6. In a mechanical base ball game, a batter, bases, means for moving the batter in an orbit defined by the bases, and means for rotating the batter on an axis to cause it to strike a blow.

7. In a mechanical base ball game, a belt, means for supporting the belt for movement in a path representing a diamond, a batter, means for mounting the batter on the belt, for movement in an orbit, and means for rotating the batter about an axis to cause it to strike a blow.

8. In a mechanical base ball game, a belt, means for supporting the belt for movement in a path representing a diamond, a bearing on the belt, a shaft journaled in the hearing, a batter carried by the shaft, means for rotating the shaft to cause the batter to strike a blow, a fixed track, means carried by the bearing and engaging the track for supporting the bearing and the belt when the belt is operated to carry the bearing in an orbit, and means for driving the belt.

9. In a mechanical base ball game, a belt, means for supporting the belt for movement in a path representing a diamond, a shaft journaled on the belt, a batter carried by the shaft, means for operating the belt to carry the batter in an orbit, a projection on the shaft, a radius arm' mounted for swinging movement and cooperating with the projection to rotate the shaft and the batter, thereby to cause the batter-to strike a blow, and means for actuating the radius arm.

10. In a mechanical base ball game, a frame, a belt, means for supporting the belt on the frame, for movement in a path representing a diamond, a shaft mounted to rotate on the belt, a batter carried by the shaft, means for operating the belt to cause the batter to move in an orbit, a lever under the control of an operator, a radius arm, means for mounting the radius arm and the lever for swinging movement on the frame, a connection between the lever and the radius 'arm, spring means for moving the radius arm in a direction opposite to that in which it is moved by the lever. and a projection on the shaft and located 111 the path of the radius arm, thereby to impart rotation to the shaft and to the batter.

11.111 a mechanical base ball game, a pitcher comprising hingedly connected upper and lower parts, a ball grip carried by the upper part, means for folding and erecting the upper part on the lower art, to cause the grip to pick up a ball w en the upper part is folded, and means for projecting a ball from the grip when the pitcher is erected 12. In a mechanical base ball game, a pitcher comprising hin edly connected upper and lower parts, a all grip carried by the upper of said parts, means for folding and erecting the upper part upon. the lower part to cause the grip to pick up a ball when the pitcher is folded, means for mounting the lower part for rotation through a limited arc, and means for rotating said lower part.

13. In a mechanical base ball game, a pitcher comprising hingedly connected. upper and lower parts, a ball grip carried by the upper part, a plunger slidable in the lower part and connected to the upper part to constitute means for folding the upper part with respect to the lower part, an arm on the plunger, a cam cooperating with the arm, and means for supporting and operating the cam. l

14. A mechanical base ball game including a pitcher comprising hingedly connected upper and lower parts, a ball grip carr ed by the upper part, a plun er slidable 1n the lower part and connecte to the upper part to secure a folding of the upper part with respectto the lower part, an arm on the lunger, a compression spring interposed etwe'en the arm and the lower part, a cam cooperating with the arm, and means for supporting and operating the cam.

15. In av mechanical base ball game, a

pitchercomprising a ball grip, an ejecting plunger slidably supported and cooperating with the ball grip, spring means for advancing the plunger, a flexible element connected to the plunger and extended downwardly through the pitcher, means for retracting the flexible element and the plunger, and means for releasing the flexible element and the plunger.

16. In a mechanical base ball game, a pitcher comprising a ball grip, a slidabl mountedejecting plunger cooperating with the ball grip, spring neans for advancing the plunger, a lever mounted'for swinging movement, a flexible element connected to the lever and to the plunger, to retract the plunger, and a cam supported for rotation, the cam coacting with the lever to operate the lever, retract the plunger and release the plunger.

17. In a mechanical base ball game, a pitcher comprising hin edly connected upper and lower parts, a all grip carried by the upper part, mechanism for folding and erecting the upper part, and mechanism for ejecting a ball from the ball grip, each of said mechanisms comprising a cam and a movable member cooperating with the cam, the cams being so set with respect to each other that the mechanism for ejecting the ball will operate after the first-specified mechanism has acted to erect the upper part.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto aflixed our signatures.

JOSEPH BAMBER. JAMES IRVING MUNDELL. 

